1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to replaceable cutting blade assemblies for earth-working apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a replaceable cutting blade assembly adapted for use on a dozer; which is designed to provide at least three, and optionally four, potential working edges. The blade assembly is adapted for use on all varieties of dozers, whether straight, angle, U or semi-U; but finds its most advantageous application in conjunction with U-dozers and semi-U-dozers.
2. Description of the Art
Replaceable cutting blade assemblies have been employed on all types of earth-working apparatus for quite some time. These replaceable blades provide a sacrificial working edge for the earth-working blade or moldboard, which may be abraided away during service without damage to the large blade structure itself.
In the context of the present invention, dozer blades, and particularly U-dozer blades, are designed to move tremendous quantities of material which might be coal, rock, dirt, mineral ores, and the like. These are very abrasive materials, and tend to wear away a blade quite rapidly. Because of the substantial costs involved, it is impractical to replace moldboards. Rather, it has become commonplace to attach a sacrificial edge to the lower working surface of the dozer moldboard. These sacrificial, replaceable blades are used until worn beyond serviceability, and are then discarded in favor of a new blade assembly.
The use of replaceable sacrificial blades overcomes this problem of wearing out a moldboard along the working edge. Further efficiencies have been obtained by structuring the sacrificial blade in a way that allows it to be repositioned on the moldboard once a first working edge has been used, to provide a second working edge. This is desirable because it maximizes the life of one of these blades.